Defleet Pt.2 The Process

Defleeting your car or van at the end of contract is a very simple process but one that individuals and businesses worry about and get wrong. We look at the BVRLA’s Fair Wear and Tear guide in Part One and this really is your guideline for how your vehicle should be presented.

“’Damage” is a wide phrase and cover everything from a penny ding to a smashed up bumper. But remember an element of damage is acceptable. There are simple rules you can apply when looking at your vehicles in preparation for defleet:

1. If you can’t see it from 2 metres it’s not chargeable.
2. One or two penny dings on a panel is acceptable.
3. Anything that has penetrated the paintwork is unacceptable.
4. Scratches up to 25mm that have not penetrated the paintwork are fine.
5. Any missing items such as spare keys, handbooks, cigarette lighters, wheel nuts should be with car.

You will get stone chips and parking dents but remember big dents, paint damage and missing items are chargeable and are deemed unfair wear.

Your leasing company will arrange an inspection prior to collection where a representative will look over the car and mark down either on paper or on hand held unit all damage. Some will give you a breakdown of chargeable damage there and then others will just damage for estimate later on. However, if you don’t agree with something state it there and then on paper or in the comments box. This will make discussion later on a lot easier.

Mechanical damage may be dealt with later on and contractually they can come back to you so make sure you check out any mechanical issues before return.

Also a big tip, clean the car in and out. Inspectors who view a filthy car psychologically get negative about your care for it and a more positive if the car is in a presentable condition. You may think the dirt hides a multitude of sins but normally your contract states they can come back and query damage on dirty vehicles. If it’s clean on inspection (this is commented on) then you are protected against transit damage.

Defleet Pt.1 BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide

We often get asked about defleet issues, problems and ways to handle the end of life part of the contract hire process. Over the coming weeks we will look at various ways to manage this and areas of consideration. To start this off we will take a look at benchmark for defleet condition.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) provide a standard for returning your car or van to your leasing company. This guide provides information on what is deemed fair in terms of the condition of vehicle. Essentially think of it as what should a 2, 3 or 4 year old vehicle look like. On one had it is there to protect the hirer but also to protect the leasing company.

It outlines everything from the number of stone chips that are acceptable down, the size of a car park dent allowable and allowable scratches and scrapes. What falls outside of this is chargeable.

This can often be a daunting area for people leasing vehicles but work on the basis that this standard is there to protect everyone and it’s not unreasonable to expect that damage should be recharged just like when you hire a suit or a daily rental car equally leasing companies should realise that use of cars however much you look after it leads to an element of general wear and tear.

You can find more information on the BVRLA website and in this document which is the Lombard version.